At present, more and more IP based sound or voice communication terminals, such as IP phones, use complex vocoder algorithms, like for example ITU-T G.711, G.723.1 or G.729.
Using such algorithms incorporating silence suppression mechanism in association with traditional audio functions (handsfree, digital gains, clipping mechanism, automatic gain control), performed by digital signal processors, can lead to major audio quality problems depending on the user voice (loud or whispered) and on the user environment (noisy or calm).
Nowadays, when a user or customer experiences bad audio quality in his communications and complains about it, the only available solution is to send a qualified expert on site in order to perform audio measurements (like electrical levels of signals from microphones and to earpiece and loudspeaker) with an adapted device.
Nevertheless, this existing solution is not seamless for the customer, as during the measurement session at least the concerned IP communication terminal is not available for the corresponding user.
Furthermore, if these audio quality problems have occurred on several terminals of the customer's premises, then the customer's telecommunication system itself might not be available.
In addition, the expert will have to go with his measuring device in each office or to each place equipped with a faulty terminal. The repetitive interventions take a lot of time and can cause major disturbances in the customer's activity.
The problem to be solved by the invention is to propose a method which allows test measurements of audio quality parameters of IP telecommunication terminals without interfering with the normal use of said terminals.
Said method should also increase productivity and efficiency of the support teams or expert teams, by reducing the service time and by rendering the measurements operations less tiresome.